Let’s get your book written and ready for publication.

Are you looking for someone to:

Develop and write a book proposal based on your idea?

Ghostwrite your book?

Develop and write additional resources based on your book? (Study guides, reflection questions, book group material.)

Perform a developmental or line edit on a manuscript?

Services

Book Proposals

I’ll help you hone your book’s message and develop a unique sales hook. We will identify your unique target audience and then develop the real-life benefits your readers will have after they’ve finished the book. I will help you determine where your book fits best in the market and provide comparable titles which helps publishers identify how your book fits within their publishing program. The final deliverable is a finished book proposal with up to two sample chapters, ready for showing an agent or publisher.

Whether you’re writing a board book for children, a self-help book for adults, fiction or nonfiction, every published book begins with a strong book proposal.

Developing & Writing Additional Resources

Book groups. Library groups. Teacher’s groups. Classrooms. Church small groups. Buyers of gift journals. There are numerous audiences who want content given to them in tailored formats. Each of these audiences represents potential for expanding upon the content you’ve produced. I’ll help you identify the types of additional resources that make the most sense for you and your content, then write the material. The final deliverable is a publisher-ready manuscript.

Collaborative Writing

Do you need someone to write your book? Not everyone has the time or inclination to write a book, yet they have the message or the story to be an author. I have been a ghostwriter and served as a contributing writer on numerous projects. As your collaborative writer I’ll work with you to figure out the best way to get the book out of your head and down on paper. The final deliverable is a complete, publisher-ready manuscript.

Editing

Editing is not a one-time event. Editing is an iterative process designed to hone a manuscript into the best possible shape it can be. Drawing on my years of experience editing books at publishing houses big and small, I focus on developmental editing and line editing (also called substantive editing).

During a developmental edit I focus on the “big picture” of the book. I examine its structure, the author’s vision and execution, and the reader’s experience. I take on the role of advocate for the reader and review the manuscript by asking questions like: Does the flow of the argument make sense? Is there a logic to how the information is presented? Are the reader’s most deeply felt needs met? Is the content answering the questions which prompted the reader to buy the book? Are the tables, illustrations, references, photographs, and other additional materials in the right place and fully credited? Does the book meet and succeed the author’s vision? Are there any blind spots in the manuscript that need tended to? A developmental edit is all about getting the right content, in the right place, for the right audience.

During a line edit I focus on the sentences, with a special emphasis on voice and tone. I assess the author’s strengths and weaknesses, then edit the sentences so that the author’s strengths are made even stronger, and his or her weaknesses are shored up. This includes rephrasing and rewriting sentences as necessary. I also help ensure that an author’s voice meets the expectation of the target audience, and that an author’s tone meets his or her audience’s felt needs.

What people are saying

“I’ve worked with Andy on many projects over the years–as a coworker in a publishing house, as the assigning editor for a second publisher, and on personal projects as well–and have always been impressed with his professionalism, his creativity, his breadth of knowledge, and his all-around quality of character. If you’re looking for help with writing, editing, or other publishing-related needs, I recommend Andy highly.”

— Paul Muckley, Sr. Acquisitions Editor, Barbour Publishing, Inc.

“I highly recommend Andy Rogers as both an editor and a writer. I had the privilege of working closely with him over a number of years and I saw his excellent work first-hand. I also watched the great respect and friendships he built with the authors he coached and assisted. They knew that they were in talented hands, as he always works with great care to serve both his authors and the manuscripts he’s responsible for. Andy is conscientious, smart, talented, and passionate about his editorial work, and I am delighted for anyone who gets the wonderful opportunity to work with him.”

— Carolyn McCready, Executive Editor, Zondervan Books